Founded in Wy330 by colonists escaping the siege of Demeter, The Holy People’s Republic of Jericho is the only human colony in The Reach that The Council recognizes as a sovereign nation – occupying a handful of systems on the other side of a 30-light-year gulf from Whistler. The colony was able to get a foothold rapidly on the terrestrial planet Jericho for decades before the people of Whistler ever became aware the colony was there. The Republic of Jericho is ruled by a democratically-elected Senate and chaired by a Prime Minister, who also acts as the head of the Church of Jericho, a state-sponsored polytheistic faith that fervently preaches The Reach was, at least in part, created and populated by ancient aliens. Much like the people of Demeter, Jericho enjoys a technological advantage over Whistler in nearly every respect – though in the age of the jump drive, espionage is leveling the playing field.
Demeter Summit
The Demeter Summit is the small council of intelligentsia who manage the affairs of the moon Demeter. It is no secret that Demeter is essentially a state of the Republic of Jericho, but the illusion of independence is maintained for the legal détente with The Council. The moon is orbited by a WDF Naval anchorage and extremely strict controls are placed on the movements of people and goods in and out of the moon. Strictly speaking, trade between Demeter and the worlds of Jericho is forbidden, but the flow seems to overcome the blockade at levels that shouldn’t be possible.